Dotting device



Aug' 3, 1965 R. F. PIKE ETAL 3,198,169

DOTTING DEVICE Filed Aug. 27, 1962 United States Patent O "ce 3,198,169DTTING DEVICE Rufus F. Pike, Highland Park, Ill., and William W.

Thompson, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, assignors to LuminousProcesses, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No.219,444 1 Claim. (Cl. 118-263) This invention relates to a dottingdevice for mechan- .izing the application of dots of luminous paint toitems such as clockfaces and more particularly the invention isconcerned with a dotter embodying an interchangeable head assembly foradapting the unit to the provision of dotting patterns of various shapesand sizes.

Extensive manual handling is unsafe in operations involving applicationof luminous paint and the principal object of the present invention isthe provision of a dotter that reduces the hazard to personnel and thatreduces the manufacturing expense while achieving high quality andminimum wastage by mechanizin-g the application of lluminous paint toclock-faces or Similar items.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a dotter utilizinginterchangeable parts for adapting a -single device to a variety ofoper-ations.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent during the course ofthe following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to ldesignate like parts throughout thesame:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a dotting device constructed in accordance withthis invention with parts broken away and sectioned to facilitatedisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a reduced plan View of the dotter head assembly andillustrates the dot pattern provided by one embodiment of the invention;yand FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragment-ary detail view illustrating theactual application of a dot to a clockface.

Referring now to the drawings, the dotter of this iny vention ispreferably mounted on a suitable table and for purposes of illustrativedisclosure a t-able top as shown at may have a relief opening 10R toreceive the dotter unit, which is designated generally at 11, insemi-recessed relation. The dotter 11 preferably includes an operatingarm 12 arranged for foot pedal actuation by an operator seated alongsidethe table at a position suitable for handling the clockfaces that are tobe applied individually to the dotter.

The dotter includes a support structure in the general yform of aU-shaped strap 13 defining a hollow central i guide bore to provide afreely slideable mounting for a vertically shiftable ram 17 thatprojects through the sleeve and beyond its opposite ends. The ram hasits lower end extension 17L threaded to receive a cooperating pair ofstop nuts 18 that are engageable against the lower end of the sleeve 1Sto limit the vertical upward travel of the ram. Ram travel is adjustableby varying the location of the stop nuts 18. The upper extension 17U ofthe r-am is fitted with a striker 19 that is movable upwardly anddownwardly in unison with the ram.

To accommodate driving connection to the ram 17 the guide sleeve isprovided with vertical slots 17S Patented Aug. 3, 1965 along itsopposite sides and the ram is provided with a transverse drive pin 19Pthat projects through and beyond the slots and that is movable inthesl-ots a distance sufiicient to accommodate the maximum travel rangeprovided by the stop nuts 18. The described parts are interconnected bya suitable drive link 20 that is rotatable on the pivot axle 14A at anintermediate point and that has bifurcated end arms 20A embracing oppo-Site ends of the drive pin 19? in a lost-motion driving relation. Theoperating arm 12 is pivotally connected to the-outer end of the. drivelink 20 and on repeated oper-ation reciprocates the ram through aprescribed vertical travel range.

A dotting assembly 21 is removably mounted upon the support structure 13to allow for interchange of the dotting assembly with similar units thatVare suited to different clockface sizes and different clockface patternarrangements. The dotting assembly 21 illustrated herein includes aplate structure that provides a reservoir R of ring-shapedconfiguration. The reservoir R is shown partially filled with luminouspaint.

In the illustrated arrangement, the plate structure is in the form of alaminar arrangement that includes a base plate 22, a central island 23fixed upon the base plate and a generally rectangular frame element 24encircling the island 23 in outwardly spaced relation and fixed insealed relation to the base plate by screws 24S. The frame 24 haslateral extensions 24L located towards its rear edge and equipped withfacilities for establishing exact registration of a clockfacewithrespect to the reservoir. In this instance, adjustable corners 25 aremounted to the extentions 24L and present upstanding edge abutmentsurfaces for engagement with edge regions of a lockface that is to belocated upon the frame extensions 241. in position for receiving paintdots.

A dotting head 26 is located in the open central region 13R defined bythe support strap and is located directly above the striker 19 forengagement by the striker during its upward travel. The dotting head 26carries a set of dotting pins 27 movable jointly therewith andprojectlng through the base plate 22 and into the reservoir R. ln theapplication of the invention t-o clockfaces, a dot is normally providedfor each hour position and accordmgly, the `dotting head is equippedwith 12 dotting pins 27 arranged in circular or rectangular array inaccordance with the clockface design.

To accommodate sliding movement of the dotting pins 27 through the basewall of the reservoir there is provided in the base plate 22corresponding to each dotting pin a through socket fitted with anannular bushing 28. The bushing 28 defines a central passage throughwhich the corresponding dotting pin 27 is slideable in liquid sealingrelation and for this purpose it is preferred to employ a bushing of alubric plastic material such as Teflon.

The dotting head 26 is connected as a permanent part of the dottingassembly as its dotting pin configuration is matched to the pin passagearrangement at the reser- Voir. In the illustrated arrangement adepending guide post 29 Ahaving an enlarged head 29H at its lower end issecured centrally in the plate structure and receives the dotting head26 in vertically slideable relation thereon. The post head provides anabutment cooperating with the `dotting head at the lower position of the`dotting head. This lower position is illustrated in FIG. 1 and isselected so that the dotting pins 27 project only slightly above thebase wall of the reservoir. A bias spring 30 `disposed in telescopingrelation about the guide post 29 reacts between the base plate 22 andthe dotting head 26 and normally urges the parts to the illustratedposition.

The striker 19 which is carried by the ram to engage and'raisethedotting head 26 is in the form of a U-shaped fork 19 and its contactarms are spaced laterally forV establishing sta-ble broad surfaced`contact with the dotting head tov avoid the setup of tiltingforcessrsuch as could cause bending ofthe dotting pins 27 Y The upwardtravel of the ydotting head is determined by the spacing of the stopnuts1'8 relative to the sleeve 15. A 'travel range Vis selected so that thedotting pins Z7 will approach but not actually touchA the clockface.Each dotting pin A27fis circular in transverse cross vsectionl and 4hasa at end face .permitting the pin end to form and deliver a paint bubbleB ofv pronounced vertical dimension as illustrated in FIG. 3. yThevertical height` of the paint buo-ble simplifies adjustment of theapparatus to maintain positive clearance V'between the pin-end and theclockface C while insuring rreliable uniform application of the paintdots. l Y' i It, should be understood that the description of the andthat the claims shouldfbe -construed asbroadly as priorart will permit.

. What is claimed is: Y f

A dotter 'comprising' Vsupportrstructure providingan open centralregion, said support structure havingl a vertical' sleeve underlyingsaid open central region, a ram reeiprocable'in said sleeve, adottingas'sembly removably .slideable relation Athroughthe bushings, -alguide post depending from said plate to extend vertically through saidregion and havingran abutment underlying said reservoir andspacedbeneath `Said plate, lsaid dotter head being `rnounted invertically'slidable relationupon said post, yieldable means reactingbetween said head and said plate rto ybiasrsaid head downwardly againstsaidV abutment and Y Idenne a lower positionv in which saidY pins havetheir y.preferred form ofthe invention' isy for the purpose Iofcomplying with Section 112,'1`itle 35, of thel U.S. Codego i associatedwith said structure and comprising plate structure removably secure inbridging relation yto said 'sup-s port structure to span .sa-idregion,fsaid plate structure providing a ring-shapedv reservoir lforluminous liquid f at allocation overlyingsaid region,`said plate havinga number of bushings of lubric plastic material lin horizontally spacedarray dening bottom wall portions of said reservoir and underlyingluminous liquid disposed there-V in, a dotter head carrying acorresponding 'number of vertically oriented' dotter pins'projectinginliquid sealing References Cited'by the Examiner s UNITED STATESPATENTS '4 OTHER REFERENCES Rudner Fluorocarbons, `Reinhold PublishingCorp.,

New York, N. Y.',-195s, pp,;,196.7 QD-isi E 1R As6 c. 3.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Prr'nmry Examiner.

s RICHARD'D. NEvrUs, Examinar.

